Christmas tree holder



J. R. SCHOEN 3,052,437 CHRISTMAS TREE HOLDER Filed July 14, 1960 33 INVENTOR.

23 E 52 SQJOHN R. SCHOEN United States Patent 3,052,437 CHRHSTMAS TREE HOLDER John R. Schoen, 1120 Crescent Ava, Oakford, Pa- Filed July 14-, 196i Ser. No. 42,794 8 Claims. (Cl. 24844) This invention has reference to a stand for supporting Christmas trees and the like.

Broadly stated, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a stand which is adapted for use n combination with ordinary household water buckets, industrial type drums, or other such containers, whereby the tree or other object to be supported optionally may be stabilized in its vertical position with the aid of liquid or solid ballast in the containers. If desired, the liquid ballast may be water or other media for making a cut tree more fire-resistant and for extending its period of apparent freshness.

Another object is to provide a simply constructed, adjustable device which can be used by the average person to hold erect the small size trees customarily used in a private home or apartment, and which is just as readily usable to hold large size trees such as are featured inside or outside of industrial and civic establishments during the Christmas season.

A more specific object is to provide a holder which is adjustable for use with bucket or drum type containers having openings of varying diameters.

Another object is to provide a holder which will receive and hold erect trees or poles of various diameters by virtue of clamping means at a number of points spaced both circumferentially and longitudinally of the object b..- ing supported.

Still another object is to provide a holder which is compact, sturdy, durable, simple to make and use, and optionally capable of being readily disassembled, so as to be economical and commercially attractive.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view taken from line l-Ii of FIGURE 2 through the device of my invention as it is illustratively shown used in combination with the type container generally known to industry as a 55 gallon drum;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the FIGURE 1 apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of one modified form of my invention;

FIGURE 4 is a similar fragmentary sectional view of another modified form of my invention;

FIGURE 5 is a similar fragmentary sectional view of still another modified form of my invention;

FIGURE 6 is a similar fragmentary sectional View of one more modified form of my invention with certain optional features not shown in the other views;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken from line 7--7 of FIGURE 4 to show constructional details of an adjustable member which comprises a feature of my inventive device; and

FIGURE 8 is a top plan, fragmentary View of another modification of a portion of my new apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts, it will be seen that my novel apparatus essentially consists of a circular collar 11 from which depend at least three, preferably equally spaced legs 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the legs may suitably be inwardly inclined with respect to one another, and joined at their lower extremities as by a base plate 13 Which may be bolted or welded to the legs. Collectively, the collar, legs, and base plate form a tapering, tubular, or substantially cone-shaped receptacle whose diameter decreases going from the collar towards the base plate.

$352,437 Patented Sept. 4, 1962 "ice Extending radially through the wall of collar 11 are at least three set-screws 14, preferably equidistantly spaced. 'thumbscrews serve very well for this purpose. The tree, or other such object to be supported, is held as shown in dotted outline at 16 in FIG. 1. Holding the tree in erect position are the set-screws 14 which apply pressure at spaced points around the trees circumference, and at points spaced longitudinally therefrom similar pressure is applied circumferentially by legs 12 within the tapered confines of which tree 15 is wedged as shown.

Extending laterally outward from collar 11 are at least three arms 17 which may be integrally attached to the collar, as by welding, or secured thereto by bolts or by other suitable means. At their outermost extremities each arm 17 has a depending flange 18 which may be shaped to hook onto the lip of a container as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, or which may have threaded therethrough a set-screw 19 that is adjustable radially toward or away from the collar (as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5). In its simplest construction, such as is shown in FIG. 1, arms 17 are permanently secured to collar 11 and they are just long enough to readily clear the uppermost diameter of the particular container for which it is intended to be used. In this design, the holder is made to fit only one size container.

Optionally, arms 17 could be detachably secured to the collar by means of bolts 21 and nuts 22 per the FIG. 3 modification. In that event, in addition to making the device more convenient for packing and storing, the detachable arrangement makes it possible to use arms of fixed length but of varied sizes in case it is desired to employ the holder in combination with containers of different diameters.

Whether the arms are fixed to the collar or detachable therefrom, the mode of use of the device is the same. It is placed, and preferably centered, upon the container such as 23 in FIG. 1, with arms 17 resting upon the containers perimetral surface 24. Flanges 13 of the arms extend below the container surface and its lip or edge 26. Set screws 19 are then tightened until all of them are in abutment with the sidewalls of the container as shown at 27 in FIG. 1. At that time, or if desired even before thus mounting the device on the container, water, wet-sand or other ballast (not shown) may be placed in the container.

Next, the tree 16 is positioned in the inverted coneshaped or tapered receptacle therefor provided by legs 12 and collar 11 as described above. Thus wedged, the tree is further secured in upright position by tightening all the set-screws 14 against the tree. The ballast in the container thus holds it stable against movement from the place where it is to be kept; the clamping of the set-screws 19 against the container secures the tree-holding receptacle proper against movement with respect to the container; and the clamping of the set-screws 14 together with the wedging pressure of legs 12 serve to secure the tree against movement with respect to the tree-holding receptacle.

A number of optional modes of practicing my invention are shown in FIGS. 456 7-8. In the FIG. 4 embodiment arms 17 are of a two-piece construction 17a and 17b. The former member may be permanently or detachably secured to collar 11. The latter member, 17b, is laterally extendable with respect to 17a, the two being held in fixed relationship with respect to each other by a bolt 28 and nut 29 as shown in FIG. 4. Bolt 28 passes. through an elongated slot 31 in arm member 17b and through a hole or slot 32 which extends through arm member 17 (see FIG. 7). With this arrangement the arms of my device can readily be adjusted for use with small or large diametered containers.

In the FIG. 5 embodiment further security is provided against movement of the tree-holding receptacle with respect to the container. A substantially right-angled member 33 is incorporated for use in bracing the holder against the inside walls of container 23, just as flanges 18 and the set-screws 19 which they carry serve to brace the holder against the containers outside walls. In a fixed design for use With a single size or diametered container, member 33 could be permanently secured either to collar 11 or to arm 17' (neither of these constructions being shown in the drawings). If desired, the depending portion of member 33 can be made much longer than illustrated; in fact, it can be made to fit to the bottom of the container for which it is intended, thus giving extra support in all directions.

Even for use with just one size container it is generally preferable to have member 33 adjustable with respect to arm 17, a convenient arrangement being that shown in FIG. 5. A bolt 28:: extending through an elongated slot 31a in arm 17, through hole or slot 32a in member 33, and secured by a nut 29a serve to hold member 33 in desired position at the required radial distance from collar 11. This construction makes for maximum stabilization and security of the holder with respect to the container since the holder is eflectively locked against both the inside and outside of the container to prevent any relative movement of the two. It also prevents cocking of the holder by preventing vertical movement of the supporting arms in the event the tree is pushed or is weighted so as to tend towards toppling.

The security of the FIG. embodiment is available in the FIG. 6 construction with the latter having the additional advantage of adjustability for use with containers of different diameters. In this modification extensible arms 17a-17b are employed as in FIG. 4, and the rightangled member 33 (except for being shortened) of FIG. 5 is also utilized. An elongated slot 31b extends through arm 1711 as before. A similar slot 31b extends through arm 17a instead of the hole 32 in the FIG. 4 design. A hole or slot 32a extends through the horizontal portion of member 33. A bolt 28b extending through slots 31a, 31b and hole 32a, and secured by nut 29b, fastens arm 17b and member 33 with respect to each other and also with respect to arm 17a. More particularly, arm 17b and member 33 are secured at the proper radial distances from collar 11 so as to be able to function properly when used with containers of varying diameters.

Another modification, usable in combination with the various embodiments illustrated in the other figures, is shown in FIG. 6. Legs 12 are, first of all, shown detachablysecured to collar 11 by bolts 4-4 and nuts 41. Secondly, the legs are shown made in a multi-sectional construction, as 12a and 12b in the drawing. The sections can be held together in numerous ways, one simple method being the threaded attachment indicated at 42, the legs having a cylindrical cross-section in that case. A third adaptation is the use of slip-ring 43 which is slipped over the free ends of the legs and moved upwards to squeeze the leg extremities closer together until they are wedged tightly against the tree 16 being supported in the holder. Still another modificaction (not shown) is the use of lateral stabilizers extending from the legs to the side walls of the containers. These stabilizers optionally may be desired when using the device with extremely tall, outdoor, exhibition type tree exhibits. Several such stabilizers could be used at 'various points along the length of the legs, and they could be attached to the legs or merely wedged between them and the container walls.

A still further moodification is shown in FIG. 8. There, the collar is shown as a split ring 11a and 11b, each having mating flanged portions 50 which are secured together by nuts 51 and bolts 52. This split ring design, which makes for ready assembly and disassembly and also is more readily adaptable to difierent size trees to be held therein, can be varied in a number of more or less obvious ways. Instead of being held together by two sets of nuts and bolts, as shown, one set could be replaced by a hinge (not shown), or the ring could be split at only one point and, by virtue of being sufiiciently 4 flexible, could be opened sufficiently to admit the tree to be held thereby.

Other such modifications, as well as minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the base plate 13 can be eliminated and, by simple bending and overlapping the lower extremities of legs 12, a single bolt may be employed to threadedly connect the three legs. The legs themselves may be replaced by a substantially cone-shaped enclosure. The materials used for all the par-ts can, of course, be varied considerably, choosing from any number of products such as steel, aluminum and other metals, plastics, etc. that are available on the open market. Accordingly, I believe it is proper that I not be limited to the specifics set forth in the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, but rather shall my invention be measured in terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A tree holding apparatus for use with a cylindrical receptacle, comprising, a collar through which the tree may extend and be supported in upright position, an inverted cone-shaped receptacle depending from said collar and having at least one internal circumferential portion within which the tree may be wedged tight, means cooperating with said collar and adjustable so as to exert lateral pressure against the tree and thus hold it rigid with respect to said collar, at least two arm means spaced from each other and extending laterally from said collar, each arm consisting of at least two portions the first of which is fixed to the collar and the second of which is radially adjustable with respect to the first so that the effective length of the entire arm means is extensible an amount suflicient for its free end to rest upon and extend over the perimetral edge of the receptacle with which the apparatus is to be used, a member depending from the lateral free extremity of each said arm means, and means connected to said member depending from said arm means and adapted to apply pressure radially inward against the outer wall of the receptacle so'as to help prevent movement of the apparatus with respect thereto.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the inverted coneshaped receptacle is formed from at least three leg members spaced from each other so as to form an enclosure for the tree, each of which is optionally variable in length by means of adjustable extensions so as to accomodate dilferent lengths of trees and optionally to rest upon the floor of the receptacle with which the apparatus is employed, a slip ring having an internal diameter which is smaller than that of the opening circumscribed by the exterior surfaces of the leg members at their upper ends and slidably encompassing the leg members so as to diminish the diameter of the opening circumscribed by the exterior surfaces of the lower portion of the legs relative to the upper portion thereof, and thereby wedge the legs in supporting relationship against the tree supported within the cone-shaped receptacle.

3. In combination, a tree holding apparatus comprising a cylindrical receptacle and a fixture for maintaining a tree upright within said receptacle, said fixture consisting of a collar through which the tree may extend and be supported in upright position, an inverted cone-shaped receptacle depending from said collar and having at least one internal circumferential portion whose diameter is less than that of the collar and within which a portion of the tree may be wedged tight, adjustable means cooperating with said collar for exerting lateral pressure against the tree to hold it rigid with respect to said collar, at least two arm means spaced from each other and extending laterally from the collar, each arm consisting of at least two portions the first of which is fixed to the collar and the second of which is radially adjustable with respect to the first so that the efiective length of the arm means is extensible an amount sufficient for its free end to rest upon the perimetral edge of the receptacle, a member U depending from the free end of each of said arm means, and means connected to said member depending from said arm means and adapted to apply pressure radially inward against the outer wall of the receptacle so as to help prevent movement of the apparatus with respect thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the arm means is comprised of at least three portions, the first being secured to the collar, the second being radially adjustable with respect to the first and further being adapted (a) to rest upon the perimetral edge of the receptacle and (b) to be secured to the outer wall of the receptacle, and the third being radially adjustable with respect to the first and second portions and further adapted to be secured against the inner wall of the receptacle, the combined effect of the second and third portions thus serving to secure the fixture to both the outside and inside of the walls of the receptacle and thus positively preventing movement of the fixture with respect to the receptacle.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the two-piece arm means is comprised of a first portion which is fixed at one end to the collar and at the other end extends laterally a length sufiicient to rest upon and extend over the perimetral edge of the receptacle where a depending portion of the arm is in snug-fitting relationship with said receptacle, and a second portion which is substantially rightangled in shape with one leg of the right angle being secured to the first portion for radial adjustment with respect to the collar and the other leg of the right angle being adapted to be fitted snugly against the inside wall of the receptacle, whereby the tree-holding apparatus is supported on the top of the receptacle and also is braced against the inside wall of the receptacle.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the means connected to said member depending from said arm means bears an adjustable member which is movable toward and away from the outer wall of the receptacle so as to apply pressure against that wall and thus help secure Said arm against movement with respect thereto.

7. A tree holding apparatus for use with a cylindrical receptacle, comprising, a collar through which the tree may extend and be supported in upright position, an inverted cone-shaped receptacle depending from said collar and having at least one internal circumferential portion within which the tree may be wedged tight, means cooperating with said collar and adjustable so as to exert lateral presure against the tree and thus hold it rigid with respect to said collar, at least two arm means spaced from each other and extending laterally from said collar, each arm consisting of at least two portions, the first of which is fixed to the collar and has a member depending fiom its lateral free extremity which is adapted to be in opposed relationship with respect to the wall of the receptacle, and the second of which is radially adjustable with regard to the first and has a member depending from its lateral free extremity which is also adapted to be in opposed relationship with respect to the wall of the receptacle, and adjustable means optionally secured to at least one of said arm por-tions depending member and adapted to secure that arm to the receptacle wall and thus help to prevent movement of the apparatus with respect thereto.

8. A tree holding apparatus for use with a cylindrical receptacle, comprising, a collar through which the tree may extend and be supported in upright position, an inverted cone-shaped receptacle depending from said collar and having at least one internal circumferential portion within which the tree may be wedged tight, means cooperating with said collar and adjustable so as to exert lateral pressure against the tree and thus hold it rigid with respect to said collar, at least two arm means spaced from each other and extending laterally from said collar, each arm consisting of at least three portions, the first being secured to said collar, the second being radially adjustable to some fixed position with respect to the first and further adapted (a) to rest upon the perimetral edge of the receptacle with which the apparatus is to be used and (b) to be secured to the outer wall of the receptacle so as to help prevent movement of the apparatus with respect thereto, and the third being radially adjustable to some fixed position with respect to the first and second portions and further adapted to be secured against the inner wall of the receptacle so as to help prevent movement of the apparatus with respect thereto, the combined effect of the second and third arm portions thus being positively to prevent movement of the apparatus with respect to the receptacle.

References @ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,575,416 Deman Mar. 2, 1926 2,329,507 Andersen Sept. 14, 1943 2,532,931 Miller Dec. 5, 1950 2,630,994 Dicoskey Mar. 10, 1953 2,904,291 Harbes Sept. 15, 1959 2,931,604 Weddle Apr. 5, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,799 Germany Apr. 14, 1882 25,115 Norway Oct. 12, 1914 193,105 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1937 206,207 Switzerland Jan. 16, 1940 534,206 Canada Dec. 11, 1956 

